Fugitive
by sternschnuppe132
Summary: When a wayward dog returns to his master, he might present him with a gift. UPDATED. Chapter 3.
1. Discovery

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters involved.

A shadowy figure glanced through a set of binoculars into the room – at the slight girl writhing on the floor, an unwilling victim of nightmares. _What are you thinking about, little mouse? What are your thoughts? _He glanced at the M82 sniper rifle at his feet and carefully stood it up on its stand. An American weapon. America – an excellent land. Excellent weapons and excellent politicians who were willing to make deals. He glanced through the telescopic sight and zeroed in on his quarry. _So ignorant, my little mouse_. His eyes traced her delicate shoulders and her subtle features, barely illuminated by the light of the moon. She was a beautiful creature. _It is always more diverting to have attractive prey._ He placed his hand on the trigger. He had finished his calculations. He had considered the arc that the bullet would move in before entering the torso of the target. He was not so arrogant as to aim for the head. _Besides, I would not wish to spoil that angelic face._ The chance of hitting the target was one hundred percent. He would not miss. _You can run, but you can't hide. The game of cat and mouse is over now, little mouse._

He was, after all, the most competent sniper in his brethren. Competent because he took his time and acted sensibly and rationally. _It is time to bid farewell to this world_.

He felt a slight vibration in his pocket and felt for his transmitter. _Or not_. A voice crackled out, but he did not hear. He glanced remorsefully at his quarry, then smiled broadly. _That was diverting. We shall continue this another day, little angel. Farewell._

XXX

_She was in a brightly lit courtyard surrounded by balconies on all four sides. The doors were locked and barred from the outside. She knew the sniper was there, but she could not see him. At one moment, a shadow flickered across the right balcony. The next, there was a light sound from her left. She saw a glimmering object straight ahead._

"_What are you thinking about, little mouse?" A wintry and ruthless sound._

_From behind. She turned, and gazed down the barrel of a rifle. She glanced up at the man. She could not see any features other than a smiling mouth. Incessantly smiling._

"_It is always more diverting to have attractive prey."_

_She stood, paralyzed with fear. A pillar of ice. Frozen._

_The man smirked, and placed his hand on the trigger._

_She looked down. Hopeless. She was already dead._

_A shroud of silence engulfed prey and predator._

"_We shall continue this another day, little angel. Farewell."_

Her eyes flew open. Her heart was hammering, her breath was fast and unsteady. Sweat rolled down her face. Her throat was constricted. A nightmare, she realized.

"_We shall continue this another day, little angel. Farewell."_

Soft laughter reverberated in her head as she sat up.

XXX

She froze as the doorbell rang. The Professor had requested that she answer the door and telephone while he attended a lecture about particle physics at the university. The usually unruffled child was currently incapable of not palpitating at each sound. Her slight body quivered like a leaf in the wind, but she managed to steady herself. She could not allow a simple disturbance in her brain at night disrupt her daily actions.

She opened the door to a man with a sizeable package. He appeared startled.

"Good morning, little girl." His voice had a deep lull that calmed her.

_It is the postman. Only the postman. Time to give him the little girl façade._

"I have a package for a certain Mr. Komaki that I would like to deliver."

"Mr. Komaki does not live here. Perhaps you have come to the wrong address."

The postman inspected the address on the package. His face lit up in realization.

"Well, yes. I must have come to the wrong place." A sheepish chuckle.

She looked down at the package in curiosity, and then looked back up.

Something within her body leapt and she almost slammed the door. For upon the amicable face of the postman was plastered an incessant smile, turned up at cruel angles.

"Little girl, I must bid thee farewell … are you alone right now?"

He did not deign to wait for her reply, but continued with his smile.

"If you are, you may wish to check that all your doors are locked. Who knows what might lurk in the back yards of Tokyo, ne?" A chuckle. He turned and walked away. He entered the postal car, turned on the engine, and departed from the Agasa residence.

Another person who entered and exited her life without much consequence.

"He is only a postman." _Yes, one of a breed of vile mail-delivering persons armed with a most malevolent smile._ "Do not judge a man by his smile." _Why not? _"Don't. He is only a postman. A simple postman who seems incapable of finding his way around."

So why could she not cease the roiling torrent of uncertainty in her mind?

XXX

She decided to go outside for a walk – a walk in a public place with many people. The presence of the public was ultimately the best protection against danger from human sources. Should she call Kudo-kun or one of the Detective Boys? _No. I am independent_.

She walked out the front door and locked the door. She checked the lock three times. _What is wrong with you? _Her inner voice mocked. _Are we reverting back to the old days, the days of insecurity and suspicion? All this from a dream and a postman?"_

She walked down the street in the direction of the park. When she saw an elderly businessman who lived on the street, she spoke up, wincing as she noticed that her voice was quivering. "Sir, have you received your mail today yet?" _Why do you need to know?_

The man looked at her strangely, before responding.

"Little girl, the postman does not work on Sundays."

XXX

She sat on the park bench, her muscles quaking. _Why are you so weak?_

"He could have been a postman working for express delivery."

_But can you risk it? Do not deceive yourself. You must stay on guard._

Yes. Stay on guard. Her eyes traveled around her and taking in all the information around her. She glanced at any moderate sized persons, analyzing the possibility that any one of them could possibly be a threat to her well-being. All seemed to be clear.

She looked back at a movement behind her. There was something hiding behind the bin. Her blood froze. Adrenaline ran through her bloodstream, and she prepared to run. Seconds later, there was a rustle and a pant. _A canine_. She tried to smirk.

She returned to her original position, her eyes passing by the rubbish bin.

Suddenly, she stiffened. The rubbish bin. There was something white inside.

She stood up and walked to the rubbish bin. She saw the package.

_Did you say he was a postman working for express delivery?_

She inspected the package and picked it up. It was surprisingly light.

Her eyes scanned across the package. No address was anywhere in sight.

_Why had the postman come with an empty package without an address?_

_Why had he thrown away the package as soon as he had left? Why?_

_You know why. He was not a postman. This was not a real package._

When she opened the package, a rectangular slip of paper flew out and drifted slowly to the ground. There was a short note, stamped on using a typewriter.

As she read, a frosty feeling overtook her. She gasped and sank to the ground.

She released the paper as she crumpled. The paper spun precariously and landed.

"Accidents happen to everyone, even the best of us ... Miyano-san."


	2. A Proposal

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters involved in this story.

_As she read, a frosty feeling overtook her. She gasped and sank to the ground._

_She released the paper as she crumpled. The paper spun precariously and landed._

_"Accidents happen to everyone, even the best of us ... Miyano-san."_

XXX

A message awaited her when she returned to the residence. Thankfully, she heard only the mellow voice of the Professor when she switched on the answering machine. The lecture had been quite very delightful and most informative. A former classmate had also attended the lecture; consequently, they were both going to be significantly diverted for much of the night. Yes, particle physics was quite the most remarkable thing in the world. He simply must experiment when he comes back. Yes, he was moderately certain that he wouldn't create a black hole or anything similar. And even if he did, it would be in the name of scientific progress, the most admirable pursuit in the world. See you later. Click.

She sat in the dark kitchen, a lonely silhouette surrounded by darkness. A lamb cast out among the wolves. Wherever she walked, the soft laughter of her predator echoed in her ears, a reminder of her weakness and the ephemeral quality of the life that she lived. It would all be gone soon. The Dark Syndicate had never failed to succeed in its actions.

Outside, a moonless, starless night engulfed Tokyo. Outside, the wolves began the prowl.

XXX

She toiled assiduously in the laboratory, searching for the elusive antidote to the toxin that was the magnum opus of her years as a chemist. _How ironic._ Always, always, there was an ingredient that was unknown, something that could not be procured. Hundreds of compounds, hundreds of hours of work, all wasted because of the final step. She could not effect a lasting product. She analyzed the components of the original drug one more time, searching for the component that she was unable to counteract. Perhaps a genetic change needed to be brought about? She felt herself relax as her mind slipped into the scientist mode; this was always what she was best at after all. Why did the air in her laboratory smell so sweet? She reached for a small vial on the shelf – she would try just one more time with this ingredient … it was of particular interest to her …

The vial plummeted to the fall, shattering and scattering. Broken shards …

Her head made contact with the table and she slipped into unconsciousness …

XXX

Atop a nearby corporate building, the sniper spoke quietly into his transmitter.

"The experimental sevoflurane seemed to have a soporific effect on the subject."

"Insertion of the gaseous agent into the ventilation system was an excellent idea."

A crackle. _Prepare for entry. You know what to do – after all, you are the best._

The man in the trench coat smirked. "Roger. I am preparing for infiltration."

_Little mouse, surprises await you every day. Sleep well … while you can._

XXX

She was surprised to find her face planted into the desk of her laboratory. She glanced drowsily at the setting, and looked around for her sister. _Where? She was here just a moment ago._ She turned and found a note, pinned to the table with a knife. A knife plunged three inches into the hardwood table. Reality flooded back to her, and her eyes widened in realization. On the note were three simple words: Call this number.

There was a mobile phone beside the note, an inexpensive type that could with ease be bought and disposed of. She felt her fingers trembling and her body began to quake. She could swear that she had locked every door before entering the laboratory. She walked through the house, and found messages on each door, simple words that were written with disdain and in a gloating manner, all indicating the inferior quality of the locks.

She returned to the laboratory, deliberating over what she should do. She glanced out of the window, staring into the dark night. Atop a skyscraper, something moved, a quick flicker. Could it be her imagination? Outside, something rustled. Then all was still.

With shuddering hands, she picked up the mobile phone and dialed the number. The phone was picked up almost immediately, but there was nothing but silence. Then, the sounds of soft breathing. A saccharine voice. _"Are you alone, my little mouse?"_

"Yes." Simplicity was the best way to consort with Syndicate members.

"_Don't you remember that escape is impossible? Don't you, Ai-chan?"_ Derision.

"State your business." Her words were strong, but her voice was trembling perilously.

"_State your business." _The voice mimicked her, and chuckled softly and artificially.

"_Your countenance is cool and calm, but inside you are trembling like a mouse seized upon by a cat. You may flee, you may hide, my little mouse, but you cannot escape."_

"_You were always the coward. You believed that your façade would defend you. But the Syndicate has found all the cracks in your armor. You are weak and you are afraid."_

She could feel panic sweeping through her body. The voice was thoroughly amused.

The voice turned cold, callous. _"Meet me in five minutes at the park. You know where."_

There was a click. The scientist stood in the laboratory, a roiling mass of despair. A mass of despair that was already beginning to break through her armor of indifference.

XXX

She walked to the park for the second time that day. As soon as she arrived, she headed directly for the waste bin – she knew that this was the designated rendezvous point.

As she leaned on the waste bin and waited for the arrival of her opponent, she listened to the sounds of nature. The wind and the rustle of the leaves had always calmed her, given her a respite from the artificial situation of the laboratory. But now, they were terrible; they had mutated into despicable sounds that could only hide the presence of the enemies. The wind whistled past her, carrying the sound of soft laughter. Each rustle of the leaves had her looking around cautiously for the enemy. _Traitorous nature_, she thought bitterly.

She didn't even sense the presence of the sniper until she was blindfolded and tied down.

XXX

"I am afraid that I cannot tell you my name. Anonymity is optimal for our business."

"You may remain silent for the duration of this meeting. You have nothing to tell us."

"Listen carefully – we have a clear message for you, mouse. I will only say this once."

"Do not dissemble – your identity is widely known amongst us. We have a proposal."

"The Syndicate is always generous. From this generosity, it has decided to give you multiple options. Do you care to hear them?" A brief pause. "Of course you do."

"Your first option is to stay in your illusionary shelter. You will live in constant fear. The Syndicate will always know where you are. One day, you may hear that a distant classmate, only an acquaintance, has fallen from a bridge. You will not know this classmate well. Then, perhaps, another equally unfamiliar acquaintance will perish in a tragic fire. Then the accidents may approach you. Kaitou 1412 – doubtless you know him – may find that while he is admiring the moon, he slips and falls. He will release his hang-glider, only to find that perhaps he has not maintained it very well." A long pause.

"Hattori-san has a traditional family with a wooden house. Someday, he may find that wood is a very flammable housing choice. Too bad it will probably be at three in the morning. Too bad that all the doorways and windows will be engulfed in flames. You will hear of these accidents. They will be hailed as accidents. You alone will know."

"Then, some tragic events may happen even closer to home. Ayumi-chan will meander in front of a train. Genta-kun might come down with a particularly vile case of botulism poisoning while indulging himself. This might happen on a day when his parents are not home. He will slowly feel his motor capabilities slip away, and – who knows what might happen? Mitsuhiko-kun may be in the reference section of the library when a heavy shelf collapses with disastrous results." A brief pause. "Tragic, but purely accidental."

"Kogorou-san may attempt to apprehend a criminal in a dark alley when a construction accident causes a bag of bricks to fall. Ran-kun might have a karate accident. Perhaps her opponent will accidently use a lethal blow in the tournament. Who knows?"

"The elderly bachelor may find that experimenting foolishly is not so safe. Did you know that many scientists have accidents?" Pause. "Of course you do. Just look at yourself."

"After this series of unfortunate events, you will find yourself alone, without defenses. The last vestiges of your artificial life will be swept away. And you may find yourself atop a building, surrounded by shadows. You have always been afraid of the dark. You tell yourself that the dark is the best place to hide, but you obviously think otherwise."

"The next morning, perhaps a lonely child will be found on the streets below – a terrible culmination to the catastrophic chain of events. Well … accidents happen."

"That was quite delightful, was it now? But perhaps, just perhaps, there is a better way. The other option is to return to the Syndicate. Your chemistry skills are still deserving of awe, despite your failed attempts to create the antidote. No need to fear, my little mouse. The Syndicate has produced an antidote. You will return to the Syndicate and receive the antidote. You will forget about the outside world and you will produce toxins for the Syndicate. That is your job, correct? Once a killer … always a killer."

"Don't try to deny it – you are a killer. Your toxins have been responsible for dozens of deaths. Our assassins are the delivery boys – you are the creator. You are a monster!"

_Monster … Am I a monster? No! It can't be … it can't be … but it is …_

"You have twenty-four hours to make a decision. If you choose the first option, you may stay at the residence of the Professor. If not, you will have to leave the residence and venture into the world. We will be watching. We will find you."

"Farewell."

With that, the sniper walked away. When he was one hundred feet away, he pulled out a handgun and fired twice. She felt the bonds on her hands slackening, and she stood up.

By the time she removed the blindfold, he was gone. She was surrounded by the ominous trees and the sinister rustling of the leaves. Surrounded by treacherous nature …

That night, she cried herself to sleep.

XXX

I may feel the need to refine and repost Chapter 1. It was rather poorly written.


	3. The Task

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters involved here.

_By the time she removed the blindfold, he was gone. She was surrounded by the ominous trees and the sinister rustling of the leaves. Surrounded by treacherous nature …_

_That night, she cried herself to sleep._

XXX

The following morning, she went to breakfast with the Professor, who prattled happily about his findings at the lecture while reading the newspaper. He was so thrilled by the idea of particle physics that he would begin experimentation straight after breakfast. She did not hear much of what he said, however. _Is a murderer a murderer evermore?_

The Professor suddenly excused himself to relieve himself, and placed the newspaper down on the table. She stole a quick glance at the headlines. Suddenly, she felt a blade of ice traversing her innards, and she stood up, eyes wide, heart pumping furiously. Her glass of milk fell, spilling across the front of the newspaper, but she didn't notice.

She ran into her laboratory and seized the mobile phone on the desk. Seconds later, she was outside and running quickly down the street. Back in the house , the newspaper sat in a pool of milk. The words began to distort as the milk soaked doggedly through …

"_Teitan Elementary Student Drowned After Fishing Accident"_

She never looked back.

XXX

"The bird has prematurely flown from the nest."

"_Keep careful surveillance of all her activities."_

"Roger. What might happen to the old bachelor?"

_A chuckle. "Restrain your thirst for accidents."_

"_After all, he is an excellent bargaining chip."_

"Yes … excellent. This will be most diverting."

"_You may give our little mouse her ultimatum."_

"_We don't want her to fret for too long, do we?"_

"No, I suppose not. I will begin pursuit now."

"_Good, good. I have big plans for the mouse."_

Click. The smiling man chuckled humorlessly.

_Fly away, little bird_. _You can never escape._

XXX

She stood on the roof of the apartment complex and stared out into the tumultuous street. The city was buzzing with life, yet she felt dead. She gazed at the other buildings, scanning for the contact who she knew had been on her tail since she left the residence. She saw nothing – the specialists in the Syndicate were obviously as brilliant as ever.

She would shortly be rejoining the ranks of the Syndicate. She would soon be assimilated back into the ring of efficient specialists that sought to increase its vicious hold. Still, the relative security that a Syndicate occupation would give was far preferable to seeing acquaintances disappearing one by one, until there were none at all … and she could not afford to tell anybody of her circumstances. The Syndicate was constantly on the watch. It would not be difficult for the ruthless group to quickly create some "accidents" …

Already the memory of the world she had found outside of crime was beginning to fade. She would allow it to slowly disappear – she did not belong in such a world anyway. She belonged in a far more hideous place – in the dark warehouses and the dimly illuminated laboratories of the Syndicate. That was her true home and it beckoned – a sinister but seductive voice – despite the silent despair that penetrated her at the thought of returning.

On the rooftop, she waited.

XXX

When the Professor noticed that she was not in the kitchen, he naturally believed her to be in the laboratory. Certainly nothing bothered him about this; he could only be glad that she was working for an antidote. He thus began work on his own project – he had devised a plan to create a hadron collider of his own. As the materials were rather expensive for his modest means, he had decided that perhaps he could make do with cheap alternatives.

When the Professor two hours later completed what he believed to be a hadron collider, or a slightly reduced model of one that would doubtlessly work to perfection despite the use of materials that should probably not be used, he decided that he would test out his new gadget. Never mind the deleterious effect that the machine might have if it actually worked! The Professor wired his particle accelerator into the wall and turned it on.

There were a few sputters and the machine began to smoke sinisterly. He had wired his particle accelerator to his computer, and was currently receiving information about the speed of the particles in the contraption. To his surprise, the speed of the particle decreased and came to a veritable stop. A few lights blinked, and the device fizzled. Suddenly, there was a pop and the machine exploded spectacularly. The computer also began to smoke rather suspiciously. Apparently, something hadn't worked out …

Lesson of the Day: Rome was not built in a day; neither is a hadron collider.

He decided to have lunch and try again after he had dined … he went down to the laboratory to tell Ai that food would soon be served. He thumped ponderously down the stairs into the basement, calling her name. Not getting a response, he walked into the laboratory. Upon the table was a slip: _Call this number_. Underneath it was a number …

The Professor was certain that he did not recognize the handwriting …

XXX

She impatiently inspected her surroundings, looking for signs of her contact. She knew that the Dark Syndicate especially liked to be atop tall buildings, but she could not see anything other than pigeons on the rooftops surrounding her. She nervously looked at her watch and was about to utilize the mobile phone that she had brought when it rang.

"Moshi moshi."

"_How cold. Are you looking for me?"_

"No. I am not looking for you."

"_Do not lie to me."_

"I am not lying."

"_Then … what are you doing here?"_

Her eyes widened. She turned around.

_How did I not notice him? Foolish …_

"_I see that you have found me."_

"_These last hours have been most diverting. Watching you scour the rooftops for signs of me. Don't you know … the Syndicate always likes to hunt from the tallest buildings?"_

"I have made up my choice. I will reenter the Syndicate, as I now have amnesty."

"_A very wise choice … after all, we would like to prevent accidents from happening."_

She glared at him, and he chuckled emptily from his forever smiling mouth.

"_But … we had better get back to business. I am here to deliver your instructions …"_

She glanced at him questioningly. _Why do I need instructions here … from him …?_

"_I see that you are confused. That is understandable, for you never had to be initiated into the Syndicate. You were born into it … However, when we receive new members, there is a special procedure that must be followed. You are not new, but the Syndicate will use very similar methods to readmit you. Let me explain … Listen carefully …"_

"_When a wayward dog returns to his master, he might present him with a gift. You are a mere dog of the Syndicate – a diseased dog that the Syndicate shall deign to treat. A diseased dog that is crawling back to the Syndicate with its tail between its legs. You may return, but the Syndicate will demand a symbol of your undying subservience."_

"_The task that you will be given will not be to create a toxin; it is widely known that you are able to do that. The task will be a true test of loyalty. Faith is above all prized in the Syndicate … the feelings of the members must not sway to ensure the safety of all."_

"_Your fidelity will be tested by a field mission … it is, as usual, an elimination job."_

She turned cold at this thought. _Elimination … that means killing somebody._

"_You will not be using a poison – no, no, that does not test your ability. You will be completing this job with conventional weapons. After all, somebody with chemistry skills does not really cut it. Prove that you have the mettle to kill … and kill without mercy."_

"_Don't look at me like that. This should not be too bad. You must be reminded that your toxins have killed dozens without mercy. This should be no different …"_

She grimaced at him. He smirked back, before starting again in a mocking voice.

"_Or is the little mouse too cowardly to do a simple job like this … the victim will be caught unawares. You will not even have to go through any bodyguards …"_

"Who is the target?"

"_Yes, yes. Straight to the point. That was always the case with the Miyano family. Perhaps that is what resulted in its almost complete erasure …"_

She felt impatience surge through her. The man was running circles around her. She had had enough of his empty talk. The reference to her family only added insult to injury.

"Who is the target?" She heard the harsh and cold sound of her voice. _What? Is fear causing me to revert back to Shiho?_

"_Good, good. I can hear the voice of a Syndicate member. I suppose I will tell you now. Your mission deadline is three days. You will receive the antidote now. We will not bother to offer it to you after the mission; we must ensure that the amount you have no obstructive motives other than pure loyalty to complete this mission. You must not yet take the antidote before your mission begins, because of the very nature of the mission. You will need to be in your present form to approach the target …"_

She narrowed her eyes and gazed at him, emanating cold hatred.

"_Good, good. I sense your anger, your hate. Such emotions are excellent in a Syndicate member … they only serve to motivate. Perfect."_

She reared her head in shock at his next words.

"_Your mission is … Kill Kudo Shinichi."_

XXX

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